Separable garment



July 11, 1950 A. H. EVANS 2,515,082

SEPARABLE GARMENT Filed June 4, 1948 IN V EN TOR.

ADELE H. EVANS,

Patented July 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEPARABLE GARMENT- I Adele H. Evans, Hollywood, Fla.

' Application June 4, 1948, Serial No.31,011

This invention relates to separable and interchangeable garments.

It is an object of the present invention to provide garments in two sections, such'as a skirt and blouse and so constructed as to be assembled in use, as a unitary garment.

A further object of the invention resides in providing a plurality of separable garments, all provided with identical male and female separable fasteners, 'thus permitting the interchanging of garments for purposes of obtaining various style and colorcombinations.

' Another object of theinventionis the provision of garments of 'two or more "piece combinations, each provided with a series of separable fasteners, extending entirely around the waist, with the male fastener on one garment and the female fastener on the other garment.

A further object is the provision of slide fasteners upon separable garments, such as a waist and a skirt, with a male fastener on one garment and a female fastener on the other garment, extending around the waist portions of the garments for their major circumference and, when assembled, to be completely hidden from view.

A further and important object of the invention resides in the method of attaching the separable fasteners to the garments whereby alterations of the garment as to waist band sizes are permitted without disturbing therelative positions of the separable fasteners- Other advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a complete separable garment, separated for purposes of illustration,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section of the waist band sections of the garments,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the lower garment prior to use and,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary View illustrating a modified form of fastener.

Like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a complete separable garment as a whole, embodying in the present instance, a skirt section 6 and a waist section I. The waist and skirt may be of any desirable style or material, with the waist terminating in a waist hem 8, around which is secured, as by stitching, one half 1 Claim. (Cl. 2-70) section of a completely separable slide fastener of conventional form, as shown at 9. The section of slide fastener 9 extends around the circumference of the waist hem, terminating at the usual side opening of the waist and carries the usual slide of the fastener, as at Ill. The side opening of the waist may be provided with any desirable closure means, not shown, such as a slide fastener, snap fasteners or hook'and eye fasteners;

The skirt 6 embodies a relatively wide waist band ll, terminating at one side of the garment in a placket opening, as is customary. The placket opening carries any desirable form of closure means, such as the conventional slide fastener [2. The waist band II is provided with a companion slide fastener section I3, for interlocking connection to the fastener section 9 carried by the waist. The section I3 is secured to the inside of the Waist band II, as by stitching and extends aroundthe inside circumference of the band, with one end terminating shortof the placket opening. As clearly shown, the slide fastener section I3 is positioned'below the top edge of the waist band and, when the garments are assembled through the medium of the sections 9 and 13, the COD-1 necting fastener will be obscured and a neatly fitting garment havingthe appearance of a one piece dress will be presented. It is highly important, that the male and female sections of the slide fastener be identically arranged on all garments for interchangeable use, since toshift the arrangement will defeat the purpose of the invention. It will be observed, by reference to Figure 3, that one end of the fastener section 83 terminates short of the placket opening. The purpose of this is to provide a means for permitting a waist band alteration, as will be essential to the average individual. The area for alterations obviously is held to a minimum in order to avoid a bunchy closure to a garment not requiring alterations. Further, the alteration does not disturb the very essential matching relation of the fastener sections 9 and I3.

In Figure 4 has been illustrated a fragment of waist band I4, carrying a modified form of separable fastener on its inner side, embodying a strip of flexible woven tape [5, stitched to the inner portion of the waist band around its inner circumference and provided with equidistantly spaced snap fastener sections I6, either male or female. The fasteners I6 are adapted to be engaged by companion fasteners carried by the waist hem of the upper garment, not shown. This type of fastener likewise serves to unite two garments into a unitary structure, having a neat and smooth fitting waist portion.

In the use of the particular garments illustrated, the operator, having put the waist and skirt on, grasps the slide l and engages it with the pilot pin of the section I3, sliding the slide i0 around the waist to its terminal end, after which the slide is locked in the conventional manner and the placket and waist opening then closed according totheir particular fastening devices. The garment now presents a neat waist band, free from bulges or bumps, so noticeable in the conventional skirt and waist, where the waist car ries the usual tail section to be stufiedvunder the:

skirt band. The separable fastener eliminates the objectionable waist tail and providesa unitary-= garment that will not separate or pull apart when:

in use. The use of the snap fasteners may be found desirable in some cases. 1

The invention is particularly desirable for use on soecalled sun dresses, employing. a skirt and a bratop. A jacket or dress top with peplum or a: bolero could be used with this combination and various outfits combining different colors or patterns would be interchangeable, thus providing a variety of outfits. The-invention is further highly desirable for use upon one: or twotoned slip combinations, for instance, a white top. and a black bottom or, two complete slips may be purchased, one white and one black and the combinations possible equal four different garments; For instance, a dark skirt would require a; dark slip, whileawhite waist would require the white top. The separable feature is particularly desirable fromthestandpoint of washing or-cleaning, enabling the light and dark-sections to-be separately washed without danger of the. dye'running', as is the-case in the Well. known black and white slips now in use. The bottom section of the: slipcould also be used separately as a petticoat.

This inventionis also particularly adaptable for use: on shorts, slacks, playsuits', etc.',, with blouse :or bra topinterchangeable. The invention isparticularly desirable where" persons budget' their: clothing expenses, since, as pointedout', the purchase o'f'two? complete garments of dif ferent design and color will enable an interchange of the waists and! skirts to provide four combinations of dresses-.- As an example of the money saving in a Ward-robe, a personcould purchase 2' dresses, 2sundresses; 1 blouse, 1 skirt, 1 slacks and one shorts and with themany interchangeable combinationspossible with such a ture of garments embodying this improved fastener.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to-the particular garments shown and described,. but. that it includes Within its purview, whatever changes fairly come within either the spiritflor the scope of the appended claim.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

A combination garment embodying an. upper and a lower garment, a waist hem formed upon the -upper'garment and a waist band. formedon theilower garment, eachof the garments provided with a placket opening in alignment with each other, a separable slide: fastener formed in two interlocking male and female sections, one section being stitched to the hem of the upper garment for the major circumference thereof and onesection'stitched-to the inner side of the waist band of the lower garment below its top edge, the second named section extending around the band for. the major portion. of its circumference, one of. the sections terminating short of its corresponding placket opening so as to leave a portion of the waistband between the end of the section and the placket opening free for adjustment purposes.

ADELE H. EVANS.

REFERENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the fi-le of this patent:

UNITED STATES, PATENTS Number Name Date 1,570,917 Orent Jan. 26, 1926 2,142,479 Rosenfelder Jan. 3, 1939 2,211,100 Cohen 'Aug. 13, 1940 2,242,365 Muhr May 20, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 330,506 Italy Oct 1935 

